1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to nanoscale illumination devices and, more particularly, to a simple and inexpensive nanoscale illumination device which utilizes gas discharge illumination.
2. Background Description
A simple and inexpensive nanoscale illumination device has not been previously described outside of light emitting diode (LED) technology. LED's typically are restricted by their range of color and the need for electrodes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,919,577 to Hoehn et al. discloses a gaseous discharge display panel having a pair of films separated by a thin volume containing a gaseous discharge medium. Light is produced during discharge and terminates upon the build up of electrons on the opposed pairs of elemental areas. A tubular region allows exhausting the space between dielectric layers and filing the space with ionizable gas.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,021 to Lepselter discloses a gas discharge flat-panel display which employs a set of criss-crossed conductors with a gas contained in the space between the conductors at each crosspoint. Light emissive discharge occurs at a selected crosspoint when a voltage is applied to the pair of crossed conductors for the selected crosspoint.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,602,754 to Pfaender discloses a gas discharge display assembled from a plurality of capillary sized gas tubes. A criss-crossed network of electrodes is formed on either side of the layer of capillary sized gas tubes for selective creation of illuminating discharges.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,926,095 to Shinoda discloses a three component gas mixture of neon, argon, and xenon for a fluorescent gas-discharge color display panel. In operation, a fluorescent material is excited by a gas-discharge formed from the gas mixture which is positioned within a channel volume in the display. Excitation of the gases results from selective activation of crisscrossed electrodes.
All of the above described gas-discharge devices employ large volumes of trapped gas, and an elaborate network of criss-crossed conductors for selective activation or discharge of the gas. What is needed is a less expensive design and process for forming gas discharge illumination devices